“You’re on the road to Hell my dear. Repent and come back to God. Get yourself out of that den of debauchery or you will soon become just like them!” Betty said with a stern tone of voice before she briskly walked out of the bathroom.
Rosina stood there in disbelief as the old woman walked out of the bathroom and past her, both women exchanging cold glares at each other as the older woman walked away. Rosina had gone to the bathroom to check on Rebecca, and had overheard most of the conversation. To be described in such scathing detail by an outsider hurt, but not nearly as much as Rebecca’s stern denial and embarrassment of her family.
Rosina walked into the bathroom with red eyes of anger and tears on her own cheeks as she stopped a short distance away from Rebecca and glared. As soon as the door opened up, Rebecca snapped to see who was entering the room, fearful of Betty coming back for a second round. The expression on Rosina’s face was much worse and in a flash, both women understood volumes and no words were needed, denials would be fruitless.
“THOSE kind of people?” Rosina said with a wavering voice, cracking with the sound of her hurt and pain.
“Cat, I . . .” Rebecca tried to explain but she was abruptly cut off by an incensed Rosina.
“DON’T CALL ME THAT!” Rosina roared as she stepped closer to Rebecca. “Only FAMILY calls me that! Clearly you’re too good, too ‘high and mighty,’ for me and my family!” Rebecca said her voice still angry but pain dripping from every syllable as she continued to speak.
“I didn’t mean it!” Rebecca cried out as she stepped closer to Rosina.
“What are we to you . . . just a bit of fun? A chance to explore your wicked side now and again? Something to play with?” Rosina asked with a disgusted tone of voice as she stared at Rebecca, demanding an answer.
“No, of course not,” Rebecca pleaded as she moved towards Rosina, wanting to touch her, yet Rosina backed away.
“WE’RE NOT HEATHER’S! We’re not something you can play at! You are either with us or you’re not! You need to make up your mind. You know that Master loves you, we all love you. We want you to be with us but you have to commit to us. What do you want?” Rosina said in an indignant and pained manner as she stared Rebecca down, who burst into tears once more.
“I DON’T KNOW! Part of me wants to be with you all but part of me can’t accept your . . . the way you are,” Rebecca said in amongst the tears.
“You don’t deserve him! You know what I think? I think you need to make up your mind before you set foot in MY home once again!” Rosina said in a stern and challenging tone of voice.
As Rosina stared at the crying Rebecca, the door to the bathroom opened up and in walked Monica. She took one look at Rosina and Rebecca and huffed in frustration as she made her way towards her old friend, Rebecca.
“I could hear you two in the foyer!” Monica said as she wrapped her arms around Rebecca and let her cry on her shoulder.
“She . . .” Rosina started to snap but was cut off by Monica.
“What part of ‘I could hear you two in the foyer’ did you not understand?” Monica snapped at Rosina.
“You don’t understand, this is a private matter,” Rosina replied in an angry retort.
“It’s not very private with you two yelling at each other in the middle of the church, is it? And I understand more than you think I do about your family and this situation,” Monica said in a calming tone of voice and at that Rosina fell silent and wore a confused look on her face. “For now, I think it’s best for Rebecca to stay with us, for the time being,” she added and paused to gather Rebecca’s attention, who for the moment stopped crying. “Would you like that?” she asked and waited for Rebecca’s response.
“Yes,” Rebecca replied in a timid tone of voice.
“Okay, let them in!” Monica called out to the door.
Instantly the bathroom door opened up and in walked: Peter, Owen, Taryn, Karen and Veronica, all looking concerned and all eyes were on Rebecca.
“What’s going on here!” Owen barked and his angry gaze snapped back and forth between Rosina and Rebecca.
“Calm down, we’ve just had a bit of a tiff, that’s all!” Monica said to Owen in a soothing tone of voice.
“SHE DENIED US!” Rosina blurted out angrily, and at that Rebecca started to cry.
“She’s just a little confused right now, and needs some time and space to sort it all out,” Monica said to Owen, firmly ensconced in “Peacemaker Mode.”
“Is that true, Mouse?” Owen asked Rebecca in a hurt tone of voice.
“I’m so confused. I love you and part of me wants to be with you, but the other part of me just can’t accept some of the things you do,” Rebecca said and broke down into tears, before quickly gathering herself together. “Ca . . . Rosina’s right when she says I need to make up my mind once and for all. It isn’t fair to you . . . to any of you,” Rebecca said and hung her head in shame, crying on Monica’s shoulder.
“Okay,” was all that Owen could say to Rebecca before turning his attention to Peter, who was standing beside him. “Take care of my Mouse for me, and if she needs anything . . .” Owen said but Peter cut him off.
“I know. You want to take care of her and the baby whether she is with you or not. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of her,” Peter said in an understanding tone of voice.
“Exactly, Thank you,” Owen replied before passing a cold glance at Rosina before walking to the bathroom door.
“Master, I . . .” Rosina urged in a defensive tone of voice before Owen snapped his gaze at Rosina and at once she fell silent.
“Later,” Owen snarled before he walked out of the room and at that Rosina started to cry.
“It’ll be okay,” Karen said as she wrapped her arms around Rosina and guided the woman out of the bathroom, following after the rest of the family.
Rebecca looked at the closed door and then to Peter and Monica, the only two other people in the room and at once she felt lost. How did they know about her? How would she begin to explain any of this? Worst of all, what would she do now? Where would she turn if she angered Peter and Monica? With two weeks to go before her due date, this was not a laughing matter and she was worried and the pressures of it all started to get to her and Rebecca cried, yet again.
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